Equality Duty and Equality Objectives

1. To raise the achievement and progress of children in our 'vulnerable groups' (Free School Meals, Looked After Children, English as an Additional Language and Special Educational Needs and Disability) so that we can demonstrate “Value Added Plus”.

2. To use Growth Mindset and Creative Thinking skills to challenge prejudice, stereotypes and assumptions. To teach children, in all lessons, how to consider different perspectives and to celebrate and value diversity, preparing pupils for life in modern day Britain.

3. To increase the participation of children from under-represented groups in extra-curricular activities (eg encouraging girls’ football, boys' dance, increased participation of disadvantaged children in all clubs).

4. To reduce gender gaps in Reading, Writing and Maths.

Great Learners Trust

Public Sector Equality Duty

Schools are required to publish information which is updated annually showing how they comply with the new Equality Duty and to set at least one equality objective every 4 years. The need to advance equality of opportunity is defined in the Equality Act 2010 as having due regard to the need to:

1. Remove or minimise disadvantages
2. Take steps to meet different needs
3. Encourage participation when it is disproportionately low

The Great Learners Trust is committed to equality both as an employer and an education provider

We do our best to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect

We actively ensure sure that our Trust schools are safe, secure and stimulating places for everyone

We recognise that people have different needs, and we understand that treating people equally does not always involve treating them all exactly the same

We recognise that for some pupils extra support is needed to help them to achieve and be successful

We always ensure that people from different groups are consulted and involved in our decisions, for example through talking to parents/carers through our half-termly Class Reps meetings and consulting children through our active School Council

We actively aim to make sure that no-one experiences harassment, less favourable treatment or discrimination because of their age; any disability they may have; their ethnicity or national origin; their gender; their gender identity or reassignment; their marital or civil partnership status; being pregnant or having recently had a baby; their religion or beliefs; their sexual identity and orientation.

General Duty

We welcome our general duty under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, to advance equality or opportunity and to foster good relations, and our specific duties to publish information every year about our school population; to explain how we have due regard for equality; and to publish equality objectives which show how we plan to tackle particular inequalities, and reduce or remove them.

We welcome the emphasis in the OFSTED framework on the importance of narrowing gaps in achievement which could affect:

Pupils from certain cultural/ethnic backgrounds and the Traveller Community

Pupils who receive Pupil Premium

Pupils who are disabled

Pupils who have special educational needs /disability /SEND/LAC/EAL

Differences in gender achievement

The Trust has a series of policies that support this Equality Statement. The Equality Act 2010 requires us to publish information that demonstrates that we have due regard for the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010

• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it

• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010

Throughout the Great Learners Trust we are strongly committed to ensuring that members of each school community do not become victims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.

We have a series of policies and procedures in place to support us with this. These include:

Behaviour For Learning Policy

Learning How to Get Along Together - Anti-bullying Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Recruitment Policy

Single Equalities Scheme

PSHE Policy

SEND Policy

RE Policy

Some of these policies are available on the schools / Trust website. All policies are available from the School Offices on request.

The termly Head Teacher’s Reports to the full governing body include reports as to the number of bullying or racist incidents that have occurred. There is also an update on the number of exclusions and the number of children registered as having additional learning needs.

All staff are given copies of relevant policies as part of their induction.

Policies are reviewed regularly and updated

Equal Opportunities For All

At Great Learners Trust schools, careful analysis of performance/attainment data is used to identify different groups within the school community. We are able to make comparisons and identify any group that may be achieving less well than other groups. We build in strategies to address such issues and these are actioned promptly. Yearly priorities are identified in each school’s development plan. The school development plans are reviewed annually and action plans developed accordingly. Throughout the Trust we monitor the impact of any strategies and interventions put in place to ensure that they are meeting the needs of our pupils. Each school has its own Equality Action Plan and this too is reviewed annually. A copy of this plan is available from the School Office on request.

As part of the Equality and Diversity actin plan, at Great Missenden we have a group of KS2 children who lead our 'Agents for Change' to ensure that the pupils voice is heard and that we are raising awareness and tackling discrimination. See link below.